Big Heritage confirm their commitment to trams at the Wirral Transport Museum

A few days ago we reported on the news that Wirral Council and Big Heritage CIC had concluded their deal which would see the latter take over the running of the Wirral Transport Museum on a 28 year lease. This was based on a press release from the Council which although containing a brief quote from Big Heritage had very little detail and included no mention of the trams. Now a couple of days later and Big Heritage have released their own full statement which confirms that they are committed to the tramway, although there does still remain some negotiations in that regard. There is a lot to dissect from the Big Heritage statement, which includes the news that Lisbon 730 will be heading to Beamish, and we’ll do our best here to report on what has been revealed.

In the original statement it was noted that Big Heritage were seeking to “transform” the museum and now more information has been given as to what this may entail. They are currently looking to raise £5-£6million to expand the museum and to this end they have already appointed architects. Options are being explored as to how the museum can be doubled in size with a new structure being built on the yard area of the site and then join the existing building and this new building as one.

Its planned that the expanded museum will not only display locally relevant vehicles but also collect and share hundreds of stories of the journeys local people took and the influence these had on their lives. The aim is that a social history of the working class people of Merseyside will be shown in the new museum as well as the vehicles which transported them to and from work and leisure.

Probably what most people will want to know is what the plans are the tram collection. So far, it’s a bit of mixed picture here as there is not yet a loan agreement between Big Heritage and the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society which would allow the latter’s trams to be both displayed at the museum and used on the heritage tramway. Big Heritage remain hopeful that this will be concluded but even if agreement is made, Lisbon 730 will not be part of the collection on the Wirral.

Lisbon 730 is owned by the MTPS but has no local connection to the area and with Big Heritage keen to provide more visitor space at the museum (currently 80% of the museum is given over to vehicle storage with only 20% available to visitors) they have asked that the tram is removed. Big Heritage have said: “It is a beautiful tram, and it was not an easy decision to make but it does not fit within the new museum narrative.” However, one positive from this is that Beamish have agreed to provide a home for the tram and it is expected to move across the country in due course.

Big Heritage do make a point that the rest of the MTPS collection fits in with the new plans for a museum and that they are keen to offer an indefinite home for them, however, a deal for any loan has not yet been concluded.

Also, as we reported a few weeks ago, two other trams from the MTPS collection have already left the site. The two Douglas Bay Horse Tramway trams – 11 and 47 – have been moved to Hooton Park to allow their restorations to be completed. This has been necessary as the former workshop on-site at Taylor Street needs to have considerable upgrades to comply with regulations. Again, Big Heritage have said once the restoration is completed of these two they would be welcome back at the museum if that was the wish of the MTPS.

Loan agreements have been reached with Wirral Council and National Museums Liverpool to allow the four trams they own collectively to remain at the museum and operating on the tramway (when it reopens). This will include the two Hong Kong replicas – 69 and 70 – as well as Liverpool 245.

In recent years volunteers from the MTPS have been the lynchpins of the Wirral Transport Museum and Big Heritage will welcome any volunteers back to the museum with their collective knowledge and experience being irreplaceable and their belief that it is vital that this is passed on to the next generation. However, Big Heritage are introducing new procedures that all volunteers would have to follow as all liability now lies with the CIC. A new volunteer code of conduct would also have to be signed and general health checks (paid for Big Heritage) would be needed for anyone who is a volunteer tram or bus driver.

The latest statement also confirms that the museum and tramway had to be closed this April after the ORR found “significant contraventions of health and safety law” in both the museum building and also the procedures on how the museum and tramline were operated. It has been seven long months since then, in which time Wirral Council have spent time and considerable resources to address the issues as soon as was possible.

There is no timeline yet set for the museum and tramway to reopen but more information should follow in January once there is confirmation of funding for the plans. Although its not expected that the full redevelopment will need to be completed before trams and buses can start running again and the hope is that some sort of service can start running in 2024.

Other snippets from the lengthy Big Heritage statement include the hope that the tramway could become the first in the world to be completely solar powered, that there could be a heritage bus service serving local attractions around Birkenhead and that a new model railway will be provided at the museum after the long-standing set was highlighted as a serious fire risk by Merseyside Fire and Rescue.

There is a lot in the Big Heritage statement but the major take home for this is that they do want to continue operation of trams and with Wirral Council and National Museums Liverpool having already agreed to a long-term loan of their trams there is a hope that the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society will also sign an agreement.

• The full statement can be read on the Big Heritage CIC website at https://bigheritage.co.uk/an-exciting-future-for-wirral-transport-museum/